Introduction
Importing visualizations and setting up more animations greatly enhances the user experience in SAP Integrated Product Development Visualization. However, to unlock the full potential of SAP Integrated Product Development Visualization, consider using Templates and Data Sources. Once configured, these elements enable advanced analytics use cases by dynamically pulling data from back-end systems in real-time, providing up-to-date insights for informed decision-making.
Data Sources in SAP Integrated Product Development Visualization are fundamental for connecting to external systems and retrieving data. A common and secure method for establishing this connection is through the SAP Cloud Connector. This connector allows SAP Integrated Product Development Visualization and other SAP Integrated Product Development solutions to access on-premise or private cloud SAP systems, ensuring secure data transfer.
This lesson focuses on the configuration of a Data Source within SAP Integrated Product Development Visualization, assuming that the SAP Cloud Connector is already set up and configured. Detailed instructions for setting up the Cloud Connector are outside the scope of this lesson. For comprehensive information on configuring a Data Source, refer to this blog post: https://community.sap.com/t5/product-lifecycle-management-blog-posts-by-sap/data-sources-in-visualization/ba-p/14007712
Manage Data Sources
Within SAP Integrated Product Development Visualization, several tiles offer different functionalities. While the Browse tile is commonly used for everyday tasks, administrators use other tiles to configure Templates and Data Sources. These configurations are essential for enabling end-users to access and use data effectively.
To begin, choose the Manage Data Sources tile. This opens the interface where you can create, modify, and manage your data connections.
Upon accessing the Manage Data Sources screen, you'll notice four default data sources. These data sources are crucial for the system's operation and must not be deleted or modified. The default data sources are:
- 3dvis_storage_service_grouped_node_meta
- 3dvis_storage_service_node_meta
- GetCollaborationSession
- SaveCollaborationSession
Apart from these default data sources, you have the flexibility to edit or copy existing ones to suit your specific needs.
To create a new data source, in the upper-right corner of the screen, choose Add.
A new data source requires a Name (without spaces) and an optional description. The description field is often used to identify the creator of the data source. When choosing a name, it's best practice to make it descriptive of the data that will be retrieved. Including the Response Type in the name can also be beneficial for other users.
The Response Type field defines the structure of the data returned by the data source:
- Object: Returns a single JSON object.
- List: Returns a list of JSON objects.
- Grouping: Returns a list of JSON objects grouped by a specific field.
- Hierarchy: Returns a hierarchical data structure.
For this example, we won't be calling any Integrated Service or SAP NetWeaver Gateway services. Therefore, select Other for the Service Type. Then, proceed to the next step by choosing Step 2.
In this example, we will connect to the CB_MATERIAL_SRV service, which retrieves material details based on a given material ID. To connect to this service in a back-end SAP S/4HANA system using the Cloud Connector, configure the following:
- URL: http://wdflbmt2261.wdf.sap.corp:50081/sap/opu/odata/sap/CB_MATERIAL_SRV/Materials('__MATERIAL__')?$format=json
The __MATERIAL__ placeholder in the URL allows you to define a variable when calling the data source. Note the double underscores before and after the variable name.
Note
Please note that the URL works if you have the access to SAP Integrated Product Development Visualization.
- Proxy Type: Set to On Premise to use the Cloud Connector, provided the URL matches a configured system.
- Authentication: Typically, Basic Authentication is used for Cloud Connector connections. This requires a User and Password for the SAP S/4HANA system.
- Test: Enter a valid Material ID from your SAP S/4HANA system.
- Choose Test. A successful connection will return a response in the Response section.
- The result appears in the response area.
After a successful test, to save the connection details, choose Save, and proceed to Step 3.
In Step 3, select the root item in the Filter Expression field. The specific item to select depends on the Response Type chosen in the initial configuration.
Since the Response Type is Object and the back-end service returns a JSON object, select the d node.
Next, in the Select Properties panel, choose the specific properties that you want the data source to return.
To preview the structure of the data that will be returned by the data source, use the Test option.
When you have selected the desired properties, to finalize the data source configuration, choose Save.
Congratulations! You have successfully created a custom data source. This data source can now be used to create a custom viewing Template.
DEMO
The following demo shows you how it works: